Heretofore, armored personnel carriers have generally comprised track vehicles. The advantages that are derived from the use of track vehicles in areas of highly adverse terrain are well known. It is also generally known that track vehicles are limited to slow speeds and cannot operate at moderate speeds, such as 30 or 40 m.p.h., even over smooth surfaces such as highways. Another limitation in the use of track vehicles involves the fact that occupants thereof frequently experience a very uncomfortable ride.
The use of track vehicles came into vogue during World Wars I and II which were fought over vast areas and under such differing adverse terrains as beaches, farmlands, trenches, mountains, etc. Modern warfare often poses quite different problems. For example, terrorist activities or insurrections may require the deployment of a relatively small number of troops over a substantial distance at very high speeds. Such deployment must be carried out under conditions of substantial comfort if the personnel are to arrive at the scene of conflict in a relatively fresh condition. Once at the scene the deploying vehicle must be capable of operating over highly adverse terrain including such obstacles as barricades, rubble from burned or bombed out buildings, bomb craters and the like.
Thus, a need exists for an armored personnel carrier which is adapted to transport troops at relatively high speeds and under conditions of maximum comfort, while at the same time being capable of successfully negotiating various types of extremely adverse terrain. From the standpoint of practicality such an armored personnel carrier should resemble as closely as possible prior armored personnel carrier designs and in fact should incorporate common parts with currently utilized armored personnel carriers insofar as is possible.
The present invention comprises an armored personnel carrier which fulfills the foregoing and other objectives to provide an entirely unique armored personnel carrier design. In accordance with the broader aspects of the invention, an armored personnel carrier includes an armored hull and a prime mover mounted therein which may be identical to those of prior armored personnel carriers. The hull is supported on and transported over the underlying surface by a pair of undercarriages each incorporating the present invention. Each of the undercarriages comprises an elongate hollow primary load bearing frame. A plurality of primary axles are rotatably supported at longitudinally spaced points along the primary frame. A primary transmission mechanism extends through the primary frame for drivingly interconnecting the primary axles, and a drive mechanism is mounted on the frame for cooperation with the primary transmission mechanism to rotate the primary axles.
A plurality of secondary frames are pivotally supported on the primary frame, and a secondary axle is rotatably supported on each secondary frame. A secondary transmission mechanism extends through each secondary frame to provide a driving connection between one of the primary axles and the secondary axle carried by the secondary frame. Each secondary axle supports and drives a wheel member comprising an elastomeric tire. The secondary frames extend angularly downwardly and rearwardly from the primary frame and substantially parallel to each other. Spring mechanisms urge the secondary frames to pivot away from the primary frame. The pivotal movement of the endmost secondary frames is under the action of one spring mechanism, while the pivotal movement of each center secondary frame is under the action of two spring mechansims. By this means the wheel members of the center secondary frames engage the underlying surface under substantially greater force than the endmost wheel members, thereby facilitating skid steering of the armored personnel carrier.
In accordance with more specific aspects of the invention, each secondary frame is hollow and contains the secondary transmission means individual thereto. Each secondary transmission means comprises a sprocket mounted on the associated primary axle, a sprocket mounted on the secondary axle rotatably supported in the secondary frame and a drive chain drivingly interconnecting the two sprockets. Each secondary frame includes a disc brake for selective acutation to arrest rotation of the secondary axle rotatably supported therein and the wheel member carried by the secondary axle.